A leader involved in the Trump Transition team says to expect budget and employment cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Germany Urging EU to Speed Trade Deal Negotiations
Germany asked the European Union last week to speed-up trade talks to open trade with more than a dozen countries.
U.K. Says Trump Ready to Begin Trade Talks
The United Kingdom says U.S. President Donald Trump has agreed to start trade talks between the U.K. and the United States.
Refugee Regulations Could Squeeze U.S. Meatpackers Labor Pool
An executive order by President Donald Trump to suspend refugee arrivals could harm meatpacking companies. The Wall Street Journal reports meatpackers that rely on foreign-born workers to fill tough jobs in rural America could face labor shortages.
Senate President Exits Law Firm Amid Water Debate
by Dara Kam, News Service of Florida Senate President Joe Negron resigned from his law firm to avoid a possible conflict of interest over the Republican leader’s advocacy on a water issue that has put him directly at odds with one of the firm’s biggest clients.
USDA NASS Conducting Certified Organic Survey
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is conducting the 2016 Certified Organic Survey to gather new data on certified organic crops and livestock commodities in the United States. This effort is critical to help determine the economic impact of certified organic agriculture production in the United States.
U.S. Dairy Companies Push Back Against Canada’s Protectionist Policies
Group Urges U.S. Governors to Aid in Preserving Export Markets and ‘Consider All Tools at Their Disposal’ The U.S. dairy industry continued to push back against Canada’s protectionist policies that are effectively blocking American dairy imports into the country in violation of international agreements. A group of 17 dairy companies representing dairy farmers and processors from coast to coast asked …
NPPC Hails Trump U.K. Trade Announcement
The Trump administration over the weekend announced it would pursue closer trade relations with the United Kingdom, news welcomed by the National Pork Producers Council, which urged the administration to begin talks as soon as possible. Meeting last week at the White House, President Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May agreed to hold preliminary talks on a trade deal, …
Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference is Next Week
Those in agriculture won’t want to miss the Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference coming up next week. University of Florida/IFAS economists and other experts will discuss economic insights helpful for making informed business and policy decisions. The second annual event, organized by the UF/IFAS food and resource economics department, will be held February 9th from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. …
Landowner Wins Case against Army Corps
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says landowners scored a victory last week when a federal district court ruled against the Army Corps of Engineers for incorrectly claiming jurisdiction over private property. The Corps had claimed a piece of property owned by Hawkes Company, and used by Hawkes to harvest peat, was a “waters of the United States” which requires a …